Why Face Shields Are Good

Vaughn McMillan

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I was working on a natural edge ash bowl Friday night. The blank had a number of voids and cracks, so I was being cautious and light with my cuts. After partially hollowing the inside, I decided to take...wait for it...here it comes...just one last cut...on the outside to clean up a little tearout by the rim. Lathe speed was brisk...a bit over 1000 rpm.

I touched the gouge to the wood, the tenon broke, and the bowl hit me in the face and broke in two when it hit my face shield (a Trend Airshield). I looked for about 5 minutes and still haven't been able to find the other half of the bowl. I wasn't hurt at all, although I might have a stiff neck when I wake up on Saturday.

Just a friendly reminder to wear your face protection. ;)

Face Shield Fodder.jpg
 
HOLY COW Vaughn:eek: good thing you were wearing your face shield cause THAT chunk would have done some damage for sure. Thanks for the reminder and happy your OK:thumb:
 
Zoiks!!!

That looks like it had some mass to it. I can imagine it flying off the lathe at 1000rpm it must have been really moving.

Glad you weren't hurt!

How'd the Shield handle it? Need to replace anything?
 
Glad to hear you OK there Vaughn. I know i would have needed new shorts after that.:rofl: Whats the trend shield look like.

If its intact and no damage could be the best advert ever for the unit. They are pricey but if you add in the face protection from an object like that and it survived then i would say its well worth the money. Heck even if it did not survive would hate to think what your face would be like without it. And the dust protection is the bonus.:thumb:
 
:eek:
Aw shucks Vaughn, I was looking for another black eye to match mine.:D...
I'm really really glad you had the shield in place... you might have more damage from that chunk than just a black eye... looks pretty jagged in places...

look under the work bench on the far side of the shop, as far back as you can reach.... that's where my pieces always go... generally have to get down on my belly to reach under there to get them out.....:(
 
Vaughn is this the Trend you use??

I've got the older model...

4113zGKx8IL._SL500_AA300_.jpg


They're not inexpensive, and it makes me look like Robocop when I'm wearing it, but it has been a good investment in my well-being. (Even before this incident.)

Frank, surely there are enough skateboarders and motorcyclists out there to keep your son busy in the ER. :p
 
Vaughn i am curious regarding the hit you took. Did the piece come at the clear part of the shield or the rigid top piece. Reason i ask is i see pictures of people using the shields which essentially end up being nothing more than a piece of clear plastic held in front of their face. Suitable for a liquid splash prevention but if something with some force behind it came at the clear part then the shield would fold. and they would still take it on the face just with the plastic between them and the object.

This shield of yours seems to have a rigid frame around the edges maintaining the bow in front of your face besides the top piece adding to that real shield effect. But is that perception or reality. If it hit you on the black piece then my point is still out for the jury to decide later.

So i guess the point i am trying to get across and have others take away is its not just a case of wearing a face shield it needs to be a suitable one to protect you from what you experienced.

I have this LV one which has rigid sides and comes down far enough that if it took a hit on the clear part it would not fold into my face.

I do have my doubts about the value of something like this though with no side support to prevent the face covering plastic from collapsing if it were your protection in this accident.
 
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